Breaking Down Every Mariners Move This Offseason
By Nick Lee
Mariners General Manager Jerry Dipoto has been a busy man in his second offseason at the helm. Let’s take a look at what he’s done so far this offseason and where that leaves the Mariners this winter.
Jerry Dipoto has been wheeling and dealing this winter, as he is wont to do, trying to get this Mariners ball club over the hump and into the playoffs for the first time since 2001.
There is hope that this roster will finally be the one that sends Seattle into the postseason. Last season, they finished three games out of the final Wild Card spot. They were in the hunt for most of the season and even spent 32 calendar days in first place in the AL West.
Here is a breakdown of the moves Jerry Dipoto has made to re-shape this Mariners roster, starting with the first moves of the offseason:
Traded LHP Vidal Nuno to Dodgers for C Carlos Ruiz
What They Lose
Nuno was a viable left-handed reliever. He appeared in 87 games over two seasons with Seattle, posting a 3.85 ERA and spot-starting in 11 games. He would never overwhelm hitters but he seemed to deliver every time the Mariners needed him in a pinch.
What They Gain
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Affectionately known as “Chooch,” Ruiz brings veteran leadership into the clubhouse with a “been there, done that” resume. He earned a World Series ring with the 2008 Philadelphia Phillies. He has played in four league championship series in his career, with a .259 average and two home runs in those games. He also appeared in the 2009 World Series for Philadelphia, hitting .333.
He will be an excellent mentor to Mike Zunino, who should be the starting catcher come April. Ruiz has not played over 86 games since 2014. Expect him to be a day-game, “get-away day” kind of catcher when the Mariners need to spell Zunino.
For you sabermetricians out there, he has posted a positive WAR in all but one of his 11 seasons in the major leagues. He essentially takes the place of Chris Iannetta. For what it’s worth, Ruiz had a +4 defensive runs saved season in 2016 while Iannetta posted a -10 (meaning he cost the Mariners 10 runs during the season).